Joy for Shirin van Anrooij at Beekse Bergen with first World Cup victory

Shirin van Anrooij broke Fem van Empel’s win streak in Sunday’s thrilling fifth round of the 2022-2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup on a new course in Beekse Bergen, the Netherlands. It was the Baloise Trek Lion’s first World Cup victory. Van Empel kept her series lead. Sidney McGill, the lone Canadian, came 29th.

You can watch the 2022-2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup at FloBikes.

After winning the first four rounds, Fem van Empel held a huge lead in the overall standings over Denise Betsema. Reigning World Cup champ Lucinda Brand was back after missing the last two rounds with a hand injury. World champion Marianne Vos was there too.

Sidney McGill was the sole Canadian.

The World Cup leader claimed the hole shot on Lap 1, Inge van der Heijden in Position 2 on the fast course. Puck Pieterse carved her way onto van Empel’s wheel. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, riding a high from winning her first race in 21 months, kept up with the tempo. Betsema was having problems and was back a bit. Pieterse, van Empel and Alvarado finished the first lap in 7:59. McGill was 22nd.

Pieterse, van Empel and Alvarado carried on at the front at the beginning of Lap 2 with Vos and Kata Blanka Vas the closest chasers and Brand, almost unrecognizable in a blue and red kit, trying to join them. Just as it looked like it would be a leading sextet, Pieterse, van Empel and Alvarado went clear again. McGill was 24th.

On Lap 3 of 6, Pieterse bolted on the others. She had a four-second lead over van Empel and Alvarado at the line and nine seconds over van Anrooij, Vos and Vas at the line.

Van Empel did most of the work in the chase duo on Lap 4. Alvarado crashed and lost a lot of real estate. Van Anrooij was suddenly in a podium postition. Van Empel finally joined Pieterse and they completed the circuit eight seconds clear of van Anrooij. McGill was in 25th place.

The penultimate lap was where van Anrooij made contact. Van Empel held the reins. Alvarado and Vos, having dumped the Hungarian Vas, worked hard to create a quintet. Van Anrooij had to catch up after the hurdles.

Van Anrooij attacked when she heard the bell. It was thrilling stuff on the final circuit as van Empel and Pieterse chased their compatriot through the forest. Van Anrooij kept a lead after the planks she had to run and others rode. She came out of the sandpit with a gap. It was white-knuckle business in the finishing straight, with van Anrooij hanging on by a single second.

The next round is next Sunday in Overijse, Belgium.

2022-2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Round 5, Beekse Bergen
1) Shirin van Anrooij (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) 47:02
2) Fem van Empel (The Netherlands/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0:01
3) Puck Pieterse (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Deceuninck) s.t.
29) Sidney McGill (Canada) +4:03